Dr. Gayle McLaurinDirector, Office of Assessment

Cherokee County School District

Presentation for Parents

Georgia Milestones• Grades 3 – 8– End of Grade (EOG) in language arts,

mathematics, science, social studies

• High School– End of Course (EOC) in 9th Grade Literature &

Composition, American Literature & Composition, Coordinate Algebra, Analytic Geometry, Physical Science, Biology, US History, and Economics

Georgia Milestones: Unique FeaturesFeatures include:– inclusion of constructed-response items in ELA and

mathematics, in addition to selected-response items– inclusion of a writing component (in response to text) at

every grade level and course within the ELA assessment;– inclusion of norm-referenced items in every grade and

content area to complement the criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison; and

– transition to online administration over time, with online administration considered the primary mode of administration and paper-pencil back-up until transition is completed. Addition of technology-enhanced

items beginning in 2016-2017.

Georgia Milestones: Unique FeaturesBlended: Criterion-Referenced and Norm-Referenced

Georgia Milestones will provide:

– criterion-referenced performance information in the form of four performance levels, depicting students’ mastery of state standards

– norm-referenced performance information in the form of national percentiles, depicting how students’ achievement compares to peers nationally

Note: To provide norm-referenced information, some norm-referenced items may not align to Georgia’s content standards. Only aligned NRT items will contribute to proficiency designations.

Georgia Milestones: Embedded NRT• Each content area/course test will contain 20 norm-

referenced items.• The 20 NRT items will provide a national percentile score to

provide a barometer of national comparison. • Approximately 10 of these items have been reviewed by

Georgia educators for alignment to the grade level/course content standards. – Only those NRT items judged to be aligned by Georgia educators will

contribute to the criterion-referenced proficiency designations of students.

• The remaining 10 or so items, while not necessarily aligned to the grade level/course content standards, will not contribute to the proficiency designation.

The NRT items were selected to reflect the full TerraNova subtest for each content area.

Georgia Milestones: Embedded NRT• Teachers and students should be aware that the tests will

include a small number of NRT items (10) for which students have not had direct instruction.– These items will contribute only the NRT score and will not contribute

to the criterion-referenced score and proficiency designation that is used in promotion/retention, course grade, student growth, educator effectiveness measures, or accountability (CCRPI).

– The content and skills measured within these items reflect more global concepts within the content area (such as, reading comprehension, language, mathematics, science, or social studies) that students encounter during the course of their matriculation. This is particularly true in science and social studies.

Georgia Milestones will included norm-referenced items that are not directly aligned to the grade level or course standards. These items will not impact student scores.

Georgia Milestones

• It is important to remember that Georgia Milestones is primarily a criterion-referenced test, reflecting the content standards for each grade and course– teachers should teach the Georgia state-adopted

content standards and not the NRT standards

Remember: All important uses of the test results – for both students and educators – will be based on the criterion-referenced scores and proficiency determinations.

Georgia MilestonesTransition to Online – Online administration will be the primary mode of

administration for Georgia Milestones, with paper/pencil serving as back-up• transition will occur over time

– Administration procedures will change– Online practice center will be available

A demo of CTB’s online platform can be accessed at this link – http://experience-ga.ctb.com •Click on any one of the tests to open the Sample Test Page•Click on “Start the test” at the top of the web page•Click on “Login”, no credentials are required

Note – this demo was designed as a tool to demonstrate how the online testing platform works; it is not grade level specifis

Georgia MilestonesTransition to Online

– Year 1: minimum of 30% online – CCSD plans to exceed this goal during the 2015 assessment

– Year 3: minimum of 80% online

– Year 5: minimum of 100% onlinePaper/pencil versions will be available for the small number of students who cannot interact with computer due to their disability. Braille forms will be available.

Online Tools Available for All Students

• Blocking Tool• Highlighter• Eraser• Magnifying Glass• Mark for Review• Online Calculator – if allowable• Option Eliminator• Scratch Pad

These tools are available to all students who test online and are therefore NOT considered accommodations.

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Enlarged Tools Icons

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Scratchpad

Enlarged ScratchpadScreen Reader Icon

Online BASIC Calculator Grades 6

A basic calculator is permitted in Grade 6

This is a BASIC calculator!

Online Scientific Calculator: TI-30XS MV

A scientific calculator is permitted in Grades 7 and 8 EOG; Physical Science EOC; Economics EOC

Online Graphing Calculator: TI-84

A graphing calculator is permitted in Coordinate Algebra and Analytic Geometry EOC

Georgia MilestonesGeneral Test Parameters

•ELA will consist of 3 sections, 1 of which will focus mainly on writing•Mathematics will consist of 2 sections•Science will consist of 2 sections•Social Studies will consist of 2 sections

Each section will be approximately 70 minutes.

Georgia MilestonesGeneral Test Parameters: ELA

Criterion-ReferencedTotal Number of Items: 44 / Total Number of Points: 55

Breakdown by Item Type:–40 Selected Response (worth 1 point each; 10 of which are aligned NRT)–2 Constructed Response (2 points each)

–1 Constructed Response (worth 4 points)–1 Extended Response (worth 7 points)

Norm-Referenced–Total Number of Items: 20 (10 of which contribute to CR score)

Embedded Field Test–Total field test items: 6

Total number of items taken by each student: 60

Georgia MilestonesWriting at Every Grade

–All students will encounter an extended constructed-response item allowing for narrative prose, in response to text, within first or second section of the test.–Within the writing section of the test, students will read a pair of passages and complete a series of “warm-up” items:

o3 selected-response items asking about the salient features of each passage and comparing/contrasting between the two passageso1 constructed-response item requiring linking the two passageso1 writing prompt (allowing for an extended writing response) in which students must cite evidence to support their conclusions, claims, etc.

GenresWriting prompts will be informative/explanatory or opinion/argumentative depending on the grade level. Students could encounter either genre.

Warning: Students who simply rewrite excerpts from the passage(s) to illustrate their point(s) will not receive favorable scores.

Georgia MilestonesGeneral Test Parameters: Mathematics

Criterion-ReferencedTotal Number of Items: 53 / Total Number of Points: 58

Breakdown by Item Type:–50 Selected Response (worth 1 point each; 10 of which are aligned NRT)

–2 Constructed Response (worth 2 points each)

–1 Constructed Response (worth 4 points)

Norm-Referenced–Total Number of Items: 20 (10 of which contribute to CR score)

Embedded Field Test–Total field test items: 10

Total number of items taken by each student: 73

Georgia Milestones Calculator Policy

Content Area Grade Level/Course Type of Calculator

Mathematics

Grades 3 – 5 EOG Not Allowed

Grade 6 EOG Basic1

Grades 7 – 8 EOG Scientific2 or Basic1

Coordinate Algebra EOC Graphing3 or Scientific2

Analytic Geometry EOC Graphing3 or Scientific2

Science Physical Science EOC Scientific2 or Basic1

Social Studies Economics EOC Scientific2 or Basic1

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1Basic four-function calculator with square root and percentage functions.2Scientific calculator with functionalities consistent with TI-30XS MV or similar models.

3Graphing calculator with functionalities consistent with TI-84 Plus SE or similar models.

Calculators are not permitted on certain designated sections of each mathematics test.

Georgia MilestonesGeneral Test Parameters: Science

Criterion-ReferencedTotal Number of Items: 55 / Total Number of Points: 55

Breakdown by Item Type:–55 Selected Response (worth 1 point each; approximately 10 of which are aligned NRT)

Norm-Referenced–Total Number of Items: 20 (approximately 10 of which contribute to CR score)

Embedded Field Test–Total field test items: 10

Total number of items taken by each student: 75

Georgia MilestonesGeneral Test Parameters: Social Studies

Criterion-ReferencedTotal Number of Items: 55 / Total Number of Points: 55

Breakdown by Item Type:–55 Selected Response (worth 1 point each; approximately 10 of which are aligned NRT)

Norm-Referenced–Total Number of Items: 20 (approximately 10 of which contribute to CR score)

Embedded Field Test–Total field test items: 10

Total number of items taken by each student: 75

Transition to Georgia Milestones:Resources Available NOW

• Content standards– frameworks, formative lessons, PARCC evidence statements

• Sample items – formative items/benchmarks via Georgia OAS→GOFAR; – released items via PARCC, SBAC, other states (KY, NY), NAEP– parent’s guide to Georgia’s new assessment developed by the National PTA

[http://www.pta.org/advocacy/content.cfm?ItemNumber=3816 ]

• Georgia Milestones Test Blueprints/Content Weights• Georgia Milestones Calculator Policy• Allowable Accommodations• Eliciting Evidence of Student Learning Modules

Focus on teaching and learning – eliciting evidence of student learning during instruction and adjusting as needed.

NOTE: The content weights communicate the REPORTING CATEGORIES and the number of associated points. These are not instructional documents and should not be used to inform instructional time. To do so could place students at a significant disadvantage as the knowledge and skills are not discrete and not bounded by a single domain.

Georgia MilestonesGeorgia Milestones represents a significant change and importantly – an opportunity – for our state.

This opportunity allows us to recalibrate, as a state, and refocus on teaching and learning as a primary emphasis with assessment and accountability serving a supporting role.

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